Cornerstone Curriculum, Official Certification Edition

LESSON 2 | GOD THE FATHER: THE TRIUNE GOD – THE GREATNESS OF GOD / 213

• The Scriptures assert that God is one, and that there is none other than the one God, and yet they also assert that the one God reveals himself as God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. • Each member of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) possesses the attributes and does the work of God, is called God, and exercises authority as God. • The Bible affirms both God’s oneness, and God’s plurality (that the Godhead is more than one person ), with the persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit addressed together as being persons within the Godhead. • The doctrine of the Trinity asserts that God exists in three persons, and that all the members share the same essence, are distinct in their personalities and work, and yet are co-equal in glory, together comprising the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now is the time for you to discuss with your fellow students your own tough questions about the Trinity and the divine attributes of the Father’s greatness. Undoubtedly you have some questions that have come to mind as you have listened, studied, prayed, and reflected on these great topics of the Word of God. Take a moment to gather up your own particular questions on these and related subjects, and share them with your fellow learners. Interact together on the issues and concerns that have now surfaced in your study of the materials. Perhaps questions below might point you in some different directions. • Can a person be a Christian and deny the doctrine of the Trinity ? Is it as important as the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith, or can a person have a different view of God than the Trinity and still be considered “orthodox?” • Since the word “Trinity” is not itself in the Bible, how can theology make it out to be an “essential doctrine” of the faith? • Can one believe something about God like what the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe (God the Father alone is God; Jesus is the second greatest being made by God and the Spirit is God’s power for service) and still be considered biblical? Why or why not? • How can you so understand the greatness of God that it affects all that you do: your worship, your conduct and character, and your ministry? How do you translate this high truth into a radical lifestyle for God?

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Student Application and Implications

T heology and E th i c s